Can users still thumbs down? YouTube clarifies dislike button change for creators

# YouTube Moves Dislike Button Behind Menu for Creators’ Own Videos

YouTube is introducing an interface update that places the dislike button inside a three-dot menu when creators view their own uploaded videos. The company has clarified that the change is not part of a broader test to make the button harder for viewers to access across the platform.

The clarification follows online reports that the dislike button had disappeared from its usual position beneath videos, raising speculation that YouTube was changing how users interact with the feature.

In a statement to *The Verge* on Oct. 21, YouTube spokesperson Kimberly Taylor said the update was designed specifically for creators viewing their own uploads. The company also confirmed that creators would continue to have access to complete dislike counts through YouTube Studio, along with other performance analytics.

The distinction is important because screenshots shared online had prompted concerns that YouTube might be testing a wider change to its standard video interface.

An earlier report by 9to5Google on Oct. 20 described instances in which the dislike option appeared inside the overflow menu rather than alongside the like button. However, the publication said it was unable to reproduce the behavior during its initial testing.

YouTube’s subsequent statement clarified that the reported change concerned the interface creators see when viewing their own videos, rather than an experiment affecting viewers across the platform. According to *The Verge*, the updated interface is expected to roll out to creators over the coming weeks.

## YouTube’s dislike button remains available

The update comes nearly five years after YouTube removed publicly visible dislike counts in November 2021. At the time, the company said the decision was intended to reduce coordinated dislike campaigns and protect creators from harassment.

Although viewers could no longer see the total number of dislikes displayed beneath a video, the dislike button itself remained available. Users could still express their reactions, while creators could access the corresponding figures through YouTube Studio.

The distinction between the button and the public count remains central to the latest discussion. Removing the visible count in 2021 did not prevent viewers from registering dislikes, and the current update changes the button’s placement only within the creator-facing interface described by YouTube.

The company’s latest clarification does not announce plans to remove the dislike button from standard videos or confirm a wider test affecting ordinary viewers. Instead, it identifies the change as an interface adjustment for creators viewing their own uploads.

The update highlights how relatively small changes to familiar platform features can generate speculation when screenshots circulate without the full context. For now, YouTube says viewers will continue to have access to the dislike feature in the standard video interface, while creators will retain access to dislike data through the platform’s analytics tools.